The Moments in the Telling
by Eternal Destiny 304
Summary: I've had the completely original idea of creating a collection of unconnected oneshots. No really, I came up with the idea all on my own. Anyway, these are my B/B romance, angst, friendship, etc oneshots, each personally handcrafted for YOU. So come R&R!
1. The Token in the Apology

**A/N: Hello everyone. =) This is the beginning of my oneshot series. As I've mentioned before, I have lots of oneshot ideas rolling around in my head, and I also have several people who have made requests for different oneshot topics. So this is where I'll be posting those. **

**This first oneshot is a B/B friendship story. So fair warning, don't read this expecting kisses and relationships at the end. It's just a sweet moment I envisioned. =) That being said, I hope you still like it! If not, stick around, maybe you'll like the next one better! =)**

**As always, Hannah Taylor1's assistance and beta-ing is much appreciated. If you haven't read her story, "Problem Solving, The Booth and Brennan Way," you are missing out on one of the best stories around here. So go read it and let her know what you think. After you let me know what you think about this oneshot, of course. ;-) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bones or Booth or Brennan. I asked nicely, but apparently I can't be trusted with them. **

~B/B~

He stormed into his office, nearly slamming the door in her face as he strode towards his desk. He fell into his chair and focused his eyes sternly on his computer screen, staring pointedly at absolutely nothing, waiting for her to just go.

"Booth?"

"Bones, I do not want to talk to you right now."

"But…"

"I mean it." He dragged his hand over his face before holding it out at her to keep her away. "Not now."

"But I don't understand." She said in a rush, trying to get out the words before he interrupted her.

"I know you don't understand, Bones. You never understand and that is why we end up in these situations." He snapped at her, finally making eye contact. "Could you just leave?"

Her face was stunned as she stared back at him. "Booth, I'm sorry…"

"Go, Bones."

"But nothing happened."

He slammed his fist on his desk. "Because you got lucky. You got lucky and didn't die. This time. And what happens next time you don't listen to me when I tell you to stay where you are?"

"Your phrasing was unclear and you were in danger." She defended herself, her hands settling on her hips as she glared at him.

Frustration rose within him and he practically shouted at her. "No, my phrasing was not unclear. Any normal person would have known exactly what I meant and would have had the sense to stay put instead of charging into a room with an armed maniac." Booth stood back up, glaring right back at her. "But no, Bones, you couldn't be normal. You couldn't just behave normally for once in your life, could you?"

She had started to interrupt him, but as he finished his rant, her mouth snapped shut. He watched as she straightened, visibly stiffening and the first twinge of guilt broke through the panic that was still lingering and consuming his emotions. Then with a swift turn on her heel, she marched out of his office and down the hall without another word.

Sighing, he sat back down in his chair and rested his forehead in his palms. That woman was going to be the death of him if she wasn't the death of herself first.

~B/B~

It was past midnight when he knocked on her door and he waited anxiously to hear her footsteps heading towards him. He heard nothing, but suddenly the door opened, revealing her in pajamas and bare toes with her hair tied up out of her face. The sight of her bare face with slightly red-rimmed eyes tugged at his heart strings and the guilt he'd been feeling all day washed over him again. She drove him crazy sometimes, but she didn't mean to. She never meant to.

"Were you sleeping?"

"No." She didn't invite him in.

"Bones, I'm sorry."

"There's no reason to be sorry." She looked at him blandly and shrugged her shoulders.

"Of course there is. Look, I never meant to yell at you like that. I shouldn't have yelled at you. You just… scared me. That's all." He offered her a hesitant smile. "Don't be mad."

"I believe that statement is ironic, given your earlier behavior."

He sighed and ducked his head. "Look, Bones, I acted like a jerk. I know that. When you ran in that room and that creep aimed his gun at you… I've never been so scared in my life. That's the only reason I yelled." He glanced up at her. "I brought a peace offering."

"I am a normal person, Booth." She said, ignoring his attempt at reconciling. "I think and feel and behave in many normal ways. I am not some… anomaly."

His heart hurt as he remembered his harsh words. "I know, Bones, I know. I promise I know, ok? I didn't mean it."

Slowly, she opened her door further, inviting him in silently. He took advantage of her offer and darted inside, closing the door behind him.

"Can I hug you?"

She looked at him warily and he decided he'd be here for a long time if he waited for her permission. Stepping forward, he circled his arms around her and drew her in, boldly pulling her flush against him and kissing her hair before releasing her.

"Booth…" She protested, stepping away from him.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly. "Can we sit or something? Maybe score a couple of beers? I'll get them."

"They're in the fridge." She called after him as he headed towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, I kinda figured, Bones."

She was sitting on the couch, legs tucked beneath her, when he returned and he joined her, handing her one of the beers.

Smiling at her, he tried to make conversation. "Missed you today in the final interrogation. I called but…"

"I presumed that only normal people should be present. At least, on your side of the desk." She kept her blue eyes on him and the hurt evident in them punched him in the gut.

"Bones… come on, I said I was sorry. I don't know what else I can do." He sighed and took a sip of his beer before glancing back up at her. "I think you're perfect, just the way you are. Normal or not normal… no one is really normal, anyway, Bones." He stared back down at her carpet, not knowing if he'd found the right thing to say.

A long silence ensued, and then he heard, "I'm sorry that I didn't do what you asked and that I scared you."

He looked up at her, smiling in relief. "I know, Bones. Just… next time, if I tell you to wait for me, wait for me, ok?"

She nodded. "And perhaps we could also agree that the next time you become frightened you will not yell at me. I found that very unpleasant."

He reached out and took her hand, squeezing her fingers. "I promise, Bones. I really am sorry." He flashed his charm smile at her. "Forgive me?"

Her answering smile reassured him. "Yes, I forgive you." She squeezed his fingers back before releasing his hand.

He waited, but she appeared to be done. "And I forgive you…" He finally said, unprompted.

She frowned. "I think you have less to forgive considering mine was an honest mistake…"

He held up his hand. "Woah, hold it right there, Bones. On second thought, let's not even get in to all that, ok? We're both forgiven, we're friends again, yadda, yadda, yadda."

"Agreed."

"Great." He reached into his pocket and pulled a small box that he'd hastily wrapped in newspaper. "I got this for you today. It's sort of a make-up gift." He shrugged and handed it to her. "It's nothing big."

She frowned, looking at the box. "You bought me jewelry?"

"What? No!" His eyes darted up to hers. "No, that's just the shape of the box, Bones. I got you something you've wanted since the moment I met you, but I haven't ever been able… or willing… to give you. But here it is."

She looked puzzled as she carefully opened the box. Reaching her finger in, she hooked the gift, pulling it out of its confines. Hanging from her finger was a key chain with small plastic gun attached to it. She stared at it.

"You got me a gun." Her eyes moved to his and held his gaze.

"Yeah, well, I was thinking about what happened today and how much worse it would have been if you'd had a gun and then I was glad that I never gave you a one." He smiled at her, shifting closer. "And then I really, really wanted to give you a gun because I knew you were mad at me and that would make you happy again…"

"Booth…"

"But I actually literally cannot give you a gun because you become completely unstable when you have one, so I went out and found you this." He took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving hers. "Do you like it?"

"Very much." She smiled softly and cradled the gift in her palm. "I like it very much. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

One moment they were smiling at each other, eyes locked, and the next he had an awkward armful of Bones as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him.

He laughed and set his beer down on the coffee table before hugging her back. "Oof, Bones, careful." He warned her as she shifted and nearly knocked him over. "Maybe I should have saved this for the next time I really mess up if this is what it's going to do to you."

"Thank you, Booth." She pulled from his arms, pressing a kiss on his cheek as she drew away.

He sucked in a breath. "It's just a plastic gun, Bones."

"No, no it's not. I believe it symbolizes your regard for me. That means a great deal."

He stared at her. "Yeah."

They sat for another moment, eyes locked, before he stood. "It's late. I should go… let you get some sleep."

"Yes. "She nodded, standing up too. "I guess I should get to bed."

She walked him to the door and held it open for him. He paused before leaving, pressing her hand with his once more. "We good, Bones?

She nodded. "Yes, Booth. We're very good."

"That's what I like to hear." He turned his mega-watt smile on her. "See you bright and early. Get some sleep, ok?"

"I will."

They shared a look before leaning in and pressing kisses on each others' cheeks, lingering very briefly.

"See ya, Bones." He said, and then he was gone.

She closed the door behind him and walked back over to the couch, picking up the key chain and looking at it. She ran her fingers over the plastic and smiled, shaking her head at her own sentimentality. On her way to her bedroom, she fished her keys out of her purse and took off the key chain she'd had for years. The one with the anatomically correct skeleton.

Still smiling, she placed the gun key chain on instead and put her keys back into her purse before heading to her bedroom. As she closed her eyes, his face floated into her view and she curled in to her sheets replaying his visit in her mind again and again.

~B/B~

**Again, I hope you liked it. I would be probably do a private happy dance if you left me a review right now. Seriously. I probably would. Also, if you leave me a review right now, I might be inspired to get my next oneshot up tonight and it has lots and lots of kissing in it. ;-) How's that for inspiration? **

**Thanks for reading, guys! Oh, and if you have oneshot suggestions, feel free to let me know. I love doing prompt writing and there's not much I won't at least attempt. Just keep in mind the T rating! **

**~Elle 3**


	2. The Progress in the Kisses

**A/N: Alright, I know I'm a day late, but it wasn't because my reviewers were slacking. Not at all! In fact, I have decided you all are wonderful. Real life simply got in the way and I had delay this by a day. But you're not mad, are you? You shouldn't be... because there's, like, a million (ten) kisses in this one shot. Seriously. Count them.(Oh, and I will totally respond to your reviews. I will!)**

**Many thanks and trophies and plaques and figurines to my beta Hannah Taylor1 for inspiration/encouragement/beta-ing on this one. Check out her story because it's really starting to get good, people. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own Bones! Still! **

~B/B~**  
**

The first time she kissed him, he felt his breath catch in his throat and the shock of feeling her soft lips against his stunned him into inaction, allowing her to escape his embrace.

It was late at night and they sat close on her couch as they pored over the paperwork from their latest case. The clock read 1:04 but both ignored the glowing green numbers. Brennan wanted to finish up the paperwork instead of letting it drag into the next day and Booth wanted her leg and hip and shoulder to keep brushing his.

The coffee table was littered with papers and two empty beer bottles for each of them. In the background, one of her CDs played quietly and she hummed along to the songs from time to time, tapping her pen against the table. It made him smile and glance at her out of the corner of his eye.

As the night grew later, their mood grew sillier and as they signed their names to the last pieces of paper and organized the last files, they were laughing at each other. He poked her side when she made a snippy comment and she pouted at him when he snatched the files from her and pushed her lightly back down on the couch as he stood.

He looked down at her sleepy, glowing face and felt his heart flutter.

"Gotta run, Bones." He told her, dragging his hand through his hair. "It's way past my bedtime."

She stood, still chuckling. "You had better get home then. You're quite irritable when you don't get your sleep."

He grinned at her. "Yeah well you're irritable even when you do get sleep."

She rolled her eyes and bumped his side with hers as they walked toward the door. "Thank you for staying and completing the paperwork with me, Booth. I suspect you had tickets to the sporting event tonight that you forewent in order to be here."

He shrugged and smiled down at her. "No problem, Bones. Thanks for dinner."

She smiled in return and stepped closer to him, sliding her arms around his torso and pulling him into a hug. The gesture was only mildly surprising to him since their hugs had grown more frequent after he had won a debate and convinced her that hugs were acceptable ways for friends to show affection or provide comfort to each other.

He wrapped his arms around her and relished the moment, breathing in the smell of her shampoo and feeling the slight frame of her body against his.

It was only moments before she drew away and he prepared to release her. But before his hands could slip from her, her nose nudged his and her lips met his mouth in a soft, gentle kiss that ended before he realized it had begun.

She stepped back and opened the door, still smiling at him. "Goodnight Booth. I'll see you in the morning."

He blinked at her. "Sure, right." He took a steadying breath, searching her face for clues to her behavior. He found nothing out of the ordinary, however, and so he merely blinked again. "See you tomorrow."

~B/B~

The second time she kissed him, he saw it coming and did nothing to stop the ascension of her lips. And when their mouths met, he made sure he returned the light pressure she bestowed.

She was only a little tipsy, just enough to allow a giggle or two to escape now and then. Not so tipsy that she was unaware of what she was doing. He was driving her home after celebrating the end of a particularly complicated case and the streetlights were shining through the window and dancing on her skin. His suit jacket rested around her shoulders and she held the lapels close, wrapping herself in its warmth. The possessive feeling it gave him was almost animalistic and he was once again grateful that she would never pick up on the subtle shifts in his behavior.

He pulled into a parking spot and she blinked her eyes slowly at him, sending him a smile as she started to open her door.

"Hold on, Bones, I'll walk you upstairs." He unbuckled his seatbelt and opened his own door.

"No, Booth, there's no need." She shook her head and slid his jacket off of her shoulders. "It's late and you should get home. I can walk myself inside."

He hopped out of the car and moved around to her side just in time to take her hand as she lifted herself down from the seat. "It'll take all of five minutes to walk you in, Bones, and I'll feel better." He replaced his jacket around her shoulders with his arm and guided her inside, noting the way her head rested against his shoulder.

They made it to her door faster than he would have liked and he watched quietly as she took out her keys. When she looked up at him, she smiled and placed her hand on his cheek. He read her intent in her eyes before she moved and stood carefully still as she reached up and pressed her lips firmly to his.

She lingered for the briefest of moments, but it was long enough for him to cup her face lightly in his hand and respond to her light caress against his mouth.

She eased away and dropped her hand. "Thank you for walking me in, Booth. I like your displays of chivalry despite the fact that they're needless."

He swallowed hard and smiled at her. "If you like them, then they're not needless, Bones."

She seemed to contemplate that for a moment. "I suppose not." Opening her door, she sent him one last smile over her shoulder. "I'll see you at breakfast."

~B/B~

The third time she kissed him he was prepared enough to attempt to make her confront the new development in their relationship rather than having to focus on remaining standing and coherent in the aftershocks of the kiss.

They were sitting on the couch in her office, lunch in takeout boxes sitting between them, having an intense debate over the case they were working on. Booth insisted their prime suspect had the amount of rage needed to kill so violently, while Brennan argued that there was no hard evidence linking him to the crime scene or to the murder weapon so he shouldn't even be their prime suspect in the first place.

Booth flopped himself back against the couch, his leg bouncing as he fumed over their discussion.

Brennan calmly took another bite of her food and waited.

"There has to be something." Booth muttered.

"I didn't miss anything, Booth." Brennan assured him. "The evidence simply isn't there."

He sat up quickly and looked at her. "Well maybe the fabric that… you know, pantyhose stuff is made off doesn't retain fingerprints that well."

She stared at him for a moment before the laughter bubbled up out of her, nearly causing her to choke on the mushu pork she'd just placed in her mouth. He raised his eyebrows at her as she continued to laugh, her hand going to her midriff and pressing as though she were trying to contain herself but simply couldn't manage it.

"That's… completely incorrect." She gasped out, still laughing. "Oh, Booth…" Another chuckle escaped her and then she was leaning towards him, across the photographs between them, across their take-out, and pressing her lips to his, her sweet, smiling mouth laughing against his.

She pulled away and shook her head, amusement glinting in her eyes. "You know, laughter is quite therapeutic and tension-relieving. You should make ludicrous comments more often."

His hand had moved to her calf during the brief touch of lips and he squeezed lightly, holding her gaze. "Bones, you've gotta explain what's going on here…" He told her, moving just a little closer.

Just as the puzzled look crossed her face, a voice penetrated the bubble he had felt as though they were in.

"Awkward, awkward, very awkward!" Angela said as she blew through Brennan's office door, coming to an abrupt stop in front of the partners. Brennan listened with rapt attention to the information Angela had, her focus shifting away from Booth completely.

And just like that, the moment passed and all of Booth's questions were left unanswered.

~B/B~

The fourth time she kissed him it shook his world. Not just because he had been longing to feel that close to her again, but because of the tenderness of the moment. Because of the reason behind her kiss and the sweet smile that accompanied it.

He had Parker for the night and Brennan joined them for dinner before sitting down with Parker to work on his end of the semester science project. Booth had watched from afar, his focus shifting from the curly blonde head of his little boy to the glints of gold and red in the hair of his partner. He'd listened as she patiently explained the complexities of the scientific world and smiled when Parker had become excited about completing his project.

When it grew late and Parker was yawning, Booth reluctantly parted the two, sending Parker off to brush his teeth and change into his pajamas while he poured Brennan a glass of wine. She sipped at it and he watched the deep, red liquid pass over and through her lips.

Parker reappeared and Booth hugged his son tightly, kissing his head and tickling him to the ground. He watched as Parker hugged Brennan goodnight and then took his son's hand, ushering him off to his room where they had their before-bed talk and then said good night.

When Booth entered the hallway again and closed Parker's door behind him, he turned to find Brennan standing there, arms crossed, eyes lifted to his and he felt his heart pick up speed.

"Hey." He sent her a smile.

She crossed to him and placed her hands on his shoulders, pulling him down so that his lips met hers firmly. The kiss was as hard as the others had been soft, and it lasted seconds longer, giving him time to hook an arm around her waist.

"Bones…" He murmured as her lips fell from his.

His eyes opened and he saw the softest, sweetest smile adorning those lips he had just tasted and the beauty of it made his breath still in his lungs.

"You are a wonderful father, Booth. Thank you for being so good to him."

He nodded mutely as he stared at her, her words rocking him to his core. "He makes it easy to love him."

She shook her head. "It's never easy to love the way you love, Booth."

~B/B~

The fifth time she kissed him there were witnesses. Smiling, smirking, spying witnesses that watched as her lips touched his in an act of intimacy hidden behind an opaque screen of friendship.

The team had gathered at their favorite bar to celebrate a guilty verdict. Sweets drank too much and insisted on singing. Angela somehow ended up in Hodgins lap and Cam gave three strangers her phone number. Through all the chaos, Booth and Brennan sat close together at the table making quips about their team and enjoying their success.

When Sweets switched from singing to toasting, his befuddled words made the group laugh, but his teasing was lost on Brennan. When he was finished she stood and raised her beer, intent on making her own toast. From his place beside her, Booth listened to her speak, his eyes never leaving her face.

She thanked Cam for her leadership and Sweets for his helpful guesses. She praised Angela's work and told Hodgins she was proud to work with him. Even Wendall received a brief mention as she made her rounds.

And then she turned to him and her blue eyes met his brown ones as a soft hush fell over the rowdy group as she thanked him for his dedication to his job and his loyalty to her. She thanked him for his friendship and his protection and his patience.

When she stopped speaking, he didn't take his eyes off of her as she leaned down and laid a feather-light kiss against his lips before pulling away and smiling at him. She raised her beer once more.

"To all of us. And to the center."

She took a drink of her beer and didn't notice the collective delay in the response of her team as they all looked between the two partners. Clearing his throat, Booth raised his own beer and took a long swig.

"To us." He agreed, sending a pointed glance in the direction of their gaping audience. He smiled at his partner. "Thanks, Bones."

~B/B~

The sixth time she kissed him he had no choice but to conclude it was simply because she wanted to feel the press of his lips against hers and the idea sent shivers down his spine.

They were in his apartment late one evening and he was flirting with her. He stole sips from her beer and slipped his arm around her shoulder as they sat on his couch, squeezed her knee where he knew she was ticklish. He was pushing their loosened boundaries, he knew, but she wasn't protesting and he couldn't think of a single reason to make himself stop. Not when the smiles his antics produced lit his mind on fire.

Even as the hour grew late, he coaxed her into watching a movie, flashing his charm smile at her when she protested that she should go home.

"Stay. For a little while." He cajoled her, tossing a warm, thick blanket at her and grinning when she sighed and spread it out over her legs. After slipping in the DVD, he joined her under the blanket and slid his arm around her shoulders, drawing her in to rest against his side.

"Cozy?" He murmured in her ear, his breath sweeping over the sensitive shell and the droplet of her ear lobe.

She nodded and tucked her legs up underneath her, causing her body to press more closely to his. She let out a small sigh of contentment and then fell silent as the opening scenes of the movie he had chosen drifted across the screen.

She peppered him with questions throughout the movie and he patiently, willing explained the plot to her as they went along. Well into the movie, he turned towards her to explain a line he knew she would not understand, only to find her already looking at him.

He smiled and his eyes dropped to her lips as she tilted her head up, lifting her mouth to his. Deliberately, he kept his lips slightly parted over hers and her full bottom lip slid in between them, making his stomach clench with unfulfilled desires.

When she pulled away it was only for a moment and then her lips found his again, pressing lightly once, then twice more, before she settled back against him and returned her attention to the movie while he closed his eyes to shut out the spinning room.

"Bones…" He managed to speak several moments later. "Maybe we should talk about the kissing thing."

She smiled but didn't look back up at him. "Booth, I don't believe I agree with the actions of the protagonist in this film. He appears to be quite illogical in his thought processes."

~B/B~

The seventh time she kissed him he thought it was ironic that their relationship appeared to be as much in limbo as the remains she was inspecting.

He had an update on the case they were working and he'd driven over to the Jeffersonian to update her, only to waste valuable time searching the platform, her office, Cam's office and finally Angela's office. Angela had been kind enough to point him in the right direction and he found himself in the limbo room, surrounded by people who had lost their identities, facing the woman who would find it for them.

"Heya, Bones!"

"One moment, please, Booth. I'm concentrating." Was her terse reply.

He took in her hunched shoulders and the tension radiating off of her neck and her arms. She must have been working down here for hours while she waited for him to arrive with new information.

Moving behind her, he dug his thumbs into her shoulder muscles and caught her as she swayed back against him. Knowing she wouldn't want him to comment on her brief falter, he simply steadied her and continued to knead her tight muscles as she worked. He couldn't help but wonder what she would think if she knew that he was working just as hard at not kissing the back of her neck as she was at identifying the person before her.

Long moments passed and she finally straightened, subtly shifting out from underneath his hands.

"I am at a convenient stopping place now." She informed him.

He gave her his update on the case, enjoying the easy way they debated the implications back and forth. She nodded and paced a bit as she mulled it all over in her mind so intensely that he could nearly see her thinking.

"Bones, relax." He murmured from his position against the wall. His arms were crossed over his chest, his ankles crossed as well. His eyes tracked her anxious movements.

She stopped pacing and sent him a long look before crossing over to him and moving directly into his personal space. Her hands lifted to cup his jaw and she touched his lips with her thumb before drawing him down and capturing his mouth in a firm kiss.

Before he had time to react, she pulled away, only to return again with another kiss that was just as determined. When she planted a third kiss on him, he caught her face in his hands and held her to him, allowing his lips to sear hers.

When he released her, she smiled and stepped back. "Thank you for helping to alleviate my tension, Booth. I can return to work now."

He wanted to laugh in frustration, but managed to hold it in. It was just another piece of irony that what relieved her tension spiked his own nearly out of control.

~B/B~

The eighth time she kissed him it was his arms that drew her in and his lips that made the first contact. His heart that stuttered and fell at her feet.

They sat on a bench near the reflecting pool at the mall, a cup of coffee in each of their hands and a cinnamon roll between them. Booth's fork sparred with hers as they heatedly debated over the rights to the gooey center of the pastry. Just as he was reconciling himself to allow her to have the best bite, the flood gates opened and a torrent of rain poured down from the skies and onto the unsuspecting partners.

Booth shouted out and Brennan spluttered, their cinnamon roll melting instantaneously between them. Acting quickly, Booth leaped up and tossed out their coffee cups and the rest of their trash, cursing under his breath at the abrupt change in weather.

"Booth, do something!" Brennan insisted, holding her arms around herself. "I have a meeting. I cannot be wet for my meeting and this blouse was just dry cleaned."

If there hadn't been rain pouring all around him, he would have stopped and stared at her until she realized how ridiculous she sounded, but there was no time. Shrugging off his jacket, he draped it over her head and slipped an arm around her waist, guiding her forward.

"I can't really stop the rain, now can I, Bones?" He shouted over the noise as he propelled her towards the car.

The traffic conspired against them and they were forced to wait as a steady stream of cars rushed by before they could cross the street.

"You could have brought an umbrella." Brennan pouted.

He looked over at her, her face in a childish pout, her hair drenched and clinging to her head. She looked radiantly beautiful and he watched as the rain dripped down her face, following the line of her nose and dripping onto the full lips beneath. He gulped as her eyelashes caught drop after drop, until her eyes seemed to sparkle. His eyes were riveted to the streams of water that ran down her neck and into her blouse.

She fussed at him again and he reached out, dragging her into his arms. She looked up at him in surprise but made no effort to escape his tight hold. One of his hands moved to her face, pushing the wet hair out of her eyes. His thumb lingered on the apple of her cheek and then he kissed her.

There wasn't much that was soft or gentle about his kiss as he pressed his lips to hers, but he kept his mouth chastely closed for all six seconds that he held her against him.

When he released her, she stepped back, astonished and flushed, and he couldn't help but congratulate himself on giving her a taste of what she'd been making him feel throughout the previous weeks.

"What was that for?" She breathed, the rain forgotten.

He shrugged. "You're cute when you're angry."When she seemed to accept his answer, a small smile on her face, he impulsively added, "And I like kissing you."

~B/B~

The ninth time she kissed him the interlude lasted the length of a red light and nearly rendered him incapable behind the wheel.

He was driving her back to the Jeffersonian after a morning spent in the interrogation room and her silence was penetrating the car. Glancing over at her, he observed the familiar symptoms of distress on her face and reached his hand over, folding it around hers.

She looked at him and he smiled at her, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb. Her eyes drifted down to their hands and something flickered in her expression, but she remained silent. Moments passed and the only interaction they had was the brush of his skin against hers and the occasional reciprocation from her.

"What are you thinking, Bones?"

She looked at him and down at their hands again. Then back at him.

"I would like to display the same skill set you have in the interrogation room. Your compassion towards that adolescent today was impressive." She let out a small sigh to accompany the confession.

He smiled in relief. "Is that all you're worried about?"

"Isn't that enough?"

"Bones, hey, you're one of the most compassionate people I know." He reassured her, spontaneously picking up her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. "You may not always show it all that conventionally, but you've got a big heart." He placed another kiss on the joint of her thumb. "I've seen it in action."

The light several yards in the front of them blinked to yellow and then to red, and he eased the car to a stop, her hand still trapped in his. Looking over at her, he searched for signs that her concern was no longer etching lines in her forehead or causing her full lips to narrow.

He was so busy reading the planes of her face, that he almost didn't notice her leaning forwards, tilting her head up, parting her lips. But when their lips touched, all other thoughts flew from his mind as he focused on drawing every second of pleasure from the sensation of their mouths pressed together.

The moment the kiss began, every cell in his body devoted itself to preparing for the loss of her touch, but seconds passed and her lips remained attached to his. His hand travelled to her neck and she pressed closer. His lips parted and their mouths tangled together in an exhilaratingly new kind of kiss that had his hand instinctively reaching to unfasten his seat belt.

The sound of a horn sounding behind them startled them both and their lips parted with an emphatic pop. He kept his eyes locked on hers for a long moment and watched as she drew in a breath that contained the slightest of shudders.

And then she was smiling. "The light is green, Booth."

He glanced ahead of him. "Green light." He said uselessly. "Right, green light."

His senses began to return and he stepped on the gas pedal with too much force, sending them lurching into the intersection. When he glanced at her, she was smirking to herself and straightening her hair in the side mirror, everything about her shouting self-satisfaction.

They really needed to talk about the kissing.

~B/B~

The tenth time she kissed him turned into the eleventh, which created the twelfth, snowballing into the thirteenth and the fourteenth. But he lost count long before then.

It started out so innocently. He was going to leave her to spend a few hours in his own office. He'd been with her since that morning when he'd picked her up for an early interrogation. The same interrogation that had taken place before they had created a traffic jam with one lingering kiss.

But he was leaving now, he informed her, and stood up to head for the door. She nodded and stood up as well, walking him to the closed door of her office, straightening his tie before she sent him a parting smile. He brushed her hair back from her face and his fingers lingered on her neck.

Reaching up, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips, her hand moving to the door handle to open it for him. Without premeditation, his hand closed over hers and stopped the movement, even as his body backed her up against the door. The brown chocolate of his eyes deepened as he looked down at her and he felt his breath come more heavily.

"Kiss me again." He murmured.

With only a moment's hesitancy, she complied, leaning up and laying her lips more firmly on his as her hands went to his chest. She pulled away.

"Again."

This time her lips parted over his and she poured intensity into the kiss as one hand drifted up to curl around his neck.

"Again, Bones." He demanded more roughly, his lips meeting hers before she could comply. His mouth slanted over hers as he nudged her lips apart and pulled her bottom lip into his mouth, nipping at it before soothing it with his tongue.

And then her tongue was meeting his as her hips arched into him and he groaned into her mouth, releasing the pent up tension of weeks of teasing into her, his hands cradling her face and stroking her hair.

"Booth…" She gasped against his lips.

"Again, Bones." He broke away to draw in air before returning to his onslaught of kisses. "Again."

She clung to him, her mouth seeking his avidly, her hands roaming him eagerly.

"Booth, wait…"

He heard her words through his haze and eased away, resting his forehead on hers. "Bones…"

"We're at work." She said, trailing kisses down his neck. "We can't… not now."

He praised himself on his self-control. Drawing away, he took her face in his hands. "You're right. I'm sorry." He took a shuddering breath. "But, Bones, the next time you kiss me, it means something, ok? No more of this half-way place we've been stuck in. Kiss me again, Bones, and it means there's something happening here. You understand?"

She nodded, smoothing her hands down over his chest. "I understand, Booth."

"Ok then." He moved away from her. "I'll see you tonight." He trailed his fingers across her cheek and this time it was his hand that reached for the door knob and hers that reached out and stopped him.

Grabbing his lapels, she yanked him back to her, planting her mouth on his and wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him for all she was worth. As she drew away, she tugged at his bottom lip before releasing it with a smile.

"Tonight." She promised and released him, walking back to her desk and sitting down, a secret smile on her lips just for him.

~B/B~

**Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave me a review because (all together now) "Reviews are bread and water to a writer!" Exactly! You remembered. =) **

**On a more serious note: Please, please, please do not throw around spoilers without warning people first! As spoilers for season six start to come out, those of us who avoid spoilers (me, me!) get frustrated when someone spills the dirt without warning us first. So please do not blurt out spoilers to me and if you must, just must, must, must say something spoiler-ish, label it first! Many thanks =) -Elle  
**


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